Category Archives: SEO
- by Matthew McNairy, February 14, 2012
Part 1 of this series focused on figuring out the right keywords to optimize your site. The next step is to make sure your site content is attractive to search engines.
The basic formula is simple: Unique content plus unique URLs equals getting found by search engines. And when the search engines find you, so do the readers.
Let’s start with content. Search engines are looking for content that is distinct, so each page of your site should be different. If you’re just repeating the same keywords over and over again without making the information valuable or worthwhile, search engines will notice and your site won’t be indexed. Quality content without duplication is the key to search engine optimization.
The other part of the equation is good URLs. If you have three URLs that all go to the same location – also known as canonical URLs – the search engines know you’re either trying to beat the system or you don’t have good content. You want unique URLs that tell the search engines what can be found on the page. To get the most bang for your buck, find a way to incorporate keywords in the URL. By doing so, you create keyword themes, which is also called siloing. To sum up:
- Bad: indyrocklive.com/1277939429&bib=394
- Good: indyrocklive.com/topalbums2011.php
And that, in a nutshell, is what the average person needs to know. You can dig a lot deeper – the next step would be tags and on-page SEO – but that veers into coding territory. Obviously, there’s a tremendous amount of science and strategy involved in getting SEO right – multimillion dollar companies exist for just that reason. But for the average person looking to build site readership without learning code, the formula above is what matters.
- by Matthew McNairy, February 7, 2012
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is a marketing method to improve the functionality and traffic on your website. SEO is a complex subject – many think it’s just a way to improve the ranking of your site. In reality SEO is a process which, if done correctly over time, can build your audience organically.
Several steps comprise quality SEO, but the first step is keyword research. Keywords that seem similar may supply entirely different results. Someone who types high school football in Google could be looking for information on regional games. The results that appear, however, could be for high school football anywhere. A more accurate search term would be Ft. Lauderdale high school football. So, how do you know what is going to work best for you?
First, start brainstorming. Consider the topic and come up with as many words related to the subject as you can. Think of synonyms for those words. Qualify your words; for example, not just Ft. Lauderdale, but Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. Use real-world phrases and not industry terminology. In other words, consider what people searching for your site would type. FDA drug approval process is much clearer than compound submission. When you’re tapped out, try an online tool like WordTracker.
If you already have a website, check your site analytics. What phrases are drawing people to your site? What modifications can you make in your content, based on your keyword research, to potentially increase your traffic? If your site isn’t up yet, this list of keywords will help you determine what your marketing focus should be to build the best audience.
Part 2 of this series on SEO will focus on developing your site to optimize it for search engines.
- by Matthew McNairy, January 24, 2012
If you haven’t noticed, your recent Google search results likely feature more local listings. The reason for this change is the increased importance of Google Places in the results formula, which is good news for your small business.
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) company SEOmoz completed eye-tracking studies a few months back on Google’s search engine results page (SERP). While it’s understood that users typically read results in an “F-shaped” pattern, the studies indicated that Places in the listings had an even stronger pull.
Because local SEO is becoming a more critical piece to business, it’s imperative that small companies take advantage of Google Places. If your business is not registered on Google places, make sure you do so immediately. Below are some additional tips for increasing and improving your profile:
1) Optimize Your Places Page – Make sure that your page tracks back to your correct city landing page. You also need to ensure that your business is categorized correctly. People won’t find a communications company if you’re listed as home improvement.
2) Confirm Information Consistency – Your business information needs to be written the same in all locations. Indianapolis and Ind. are not the same thing. Make sure you smooth out the wrinkles.
3) Build a Portfolio of Reviews – You want to increase your online presence – reviews are an excellent way to draw attention. And don’t forget to use an aggregator like Yelp to grow opportunities.
Are you unsure whether your business is registered correctly on Google places? Contact us today! We’d be happy to help you increase your online presence.
